Refrigerated dispenser container



06L 31, 1967 K KETLER 3,349,960

REFRIGERATED DISPENSER CONTAINER Filed Oct. 1965 v INVENTOR. LESTER K HETLER.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,349,960 REFRIGERATED DISPENSER CONTAINER Lester K. Ketler, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,737 6 Claims. (Cl. 221-96) This invention relates to containers of corrugated fiber board having thin wall plastic bag liners for shipping, refrigerating and serving liquid foods and refreshments.

The practice of transporting liquids such as milk in plastic bag lined single service containers of corrugated fiber board of about three to six gallons capacity, having provision for dispensing the contents thereof by gravity through valvular means attached to the bag, at the destination, has become common place. In transporting such packages, the contents are maintained under sufli-cient refrigeration to prevent spoilage, and at the destination, and during dispensing, the package is placed in a refrigeration cabinet or in a household refrigerator. A typical package of the type referred to is shown in Beall et al., Ser. No. 386,634, filed July 31, 1964, now Patent No. 3,251,570, and typical apparatus for filling such packages is shown in Cox et al., Ser. No. 434,756, filed Feb. 24, 1965. To maintain such packages under suificient refrigeration from the time of filling until the contents are dispensed, requires refrigerated transportation and refrigerated storage and refrigerated cabinets from which the dispensing takes place. The refrigeration requirements limit the use of such packages to transport and locations where refrigeration is available.

The present invention relates to a single service container comprising a corrugated fiber board carton employing a liner bag having a dispensing valve, and in which provision is made for refrigeration within the container.

More particularly the container is provided with compartment for a refrigerant such as ice, packed in an impervious plastic bag, in suflicient quantity to maintain the package refrigerated from the time of filling until the contents thereof have been dispensed. The container further is provided with one or more compartments for the storage and dispensing of single service drinking cups, in sufficient quantity to serve the contents of the container. Additionally the arrangement is such that the gravity dispensing of the liner bag contents is enhanced, when the container is in dispensing position, by the weight of the ice and melt, the effect being such as to assist materially in the dispensing of the contents rapidly, especially as the contents of the bag gets low. The entire container is disposable, unbreakable, economical and self refrigerating for a sufiicient period to permit the dispensing of the entire contents as in a restaurant or the like.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container filled and ready for delivery;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a container prepared for dispensing;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective exploded view of an initial 3,349,960 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 step of inserting a partition liner in a corrugated box;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of a further step of preparing the container for filling, and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a filled container lying on its side, with the flaps open.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a corrugated fiber board container 20 having rectangular side panels 22 and 24, and outer rectangular flaps 26 and 28 secured closed by an adhesive tape 30, over rectangular inner flaps 32 and 34 (see FIGS. 3-5). The opposite end of the container is closed by similar inner and outer flaps, held closed by an adhesive tape 36. The outer flaps 26 and 28, at one end, as shown in FIGURE 1, are provided with rectangular tear out sections 38 and 40, the flaps being perforated as at 42 and 44 for this purpose. Such tear out sections provide access to cups as will hereinafter be referred to. The outer flap 26 is also provided with an oval tear out section 46, defined by perforations 48, to provide access to a dispensing nozzle as will be referred to hereinafter.

The container 20 comprises an ordinary corrugated fiber board carton, the fiber board comprising inner and outer liners and a corrugating medium. The outer liner surfaces can be coated to render the same moisture proof to prevent deterioration from atmospheric condensation. Inserted within the container 20, is a corrugated fiber board inner liner or insert 50, such insert having a wall 52 of about the same dimensions as the carton panel 21, and walls 54 and 56 adapted to lie against the inside surfaces of the carton panels 24 and 23. The walls 54 and 56 have offsets 58 and 60 to partition off and provide substantially square sectioned compartments 62 and 64 for the storing of two stacks of telescoped paper or plastic drinking cups 66 and 68, the offset being so formed, as to also provide a center compartment 71 facing inwardly for the reception of ice blocks and wrapped in Water tight polyethylene bags 72. The liner insert can also be coated on the inside surface if a moisture barrier both inside and outside the container is desirable. The Walls of thecenter compartment 74, 76 and 78, being of corrugated fiber board provide heat insulation, in addition to the outer container walls, and like.- Wise the walls 52, 54 and 56 of the liner insert provide a second insulating layer for the outer container, particularly in the region 79 provided for the reception of a polyethylene bag to be filled with milk, or other liquid food or refreshment.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the inner partition forming liner or insert 50 is in place within the carton providing compartments 62 and 64 for the cups 66 and 68. A further panel or pad of corrugated fiber board 80, which may be rectangular and of a size to fit within the liner 50, and lie against the inside faces of offsets 58 and 60 can be provided, if desired, to form a closure for the center ice block compartment 71. Preferably such panel will be provided with a series of apertures 84 or other means in its lengthwise center area to facilitate the transfer of heat to the ice blocks within compartment 71 from a bag of milk in the region 79.

Assembly of the container preparatory to filling may first include the step of inserting the corrugated fiber board liner or insert 50, standing the box on end with its open end up and flaps 26, 28, 32 and 34 open. The panel or pad may be inserted and placed against the inside faces of the offsets 58 and 60. The pad 80 may have a corner removed as at 15, for a reason to appear herein- .after. The polyethylene bag is then inserted, the valved spout 92 coupled to a nozzle for filling the bag with milk, or other liquid, it being understood that the bag or liner 90 is larger than the region 79, and fills out without stress as it is filled, into supported relation with the walls of the insert 50, the panel or pad 80 keeping the liner 90 from distending into the ice block compartment 71 during the filling.

If desired ice blocks 70 sealed in water tight polyethylene bags, sufficient to substantially fill the compartment 71 may be placed therein prior to filling of the liner 90, thereby rendering the panel 80 unnecessary, or the ice blocks '70 may be inserted after the liner 90 is filled, and the panel 30 may thereafter be withdrawn if desired. In such case the panel 80 would preferably be without perforations 84, so as to present a smooth face against the filled liner 90, and ease withdrawal of the pad by sliding it from the container prior to closing the flaps. The stacks of drinking cups may be inserted at any stage prior to the closure of the flaps.

It will be understood that the liner bag 90 may be of multi-ply thin wall polyethylene in the form of tubing or folded sheets, heat sealed as desired. The bag will be prepared under sanitary conditions, and a spout 92 having a valve, such as is shown in Beall et al. #386,634 aforesaid, may have its flange 94 heat sealed to the liner, in alignment, with an aperture. Such liners will be prepared flat, substantially free of air, or may be sucked flat by application of vacuum immediately before filling as set forth in the Cox-Strahl application. 1

It will be seen that the inner flap 32 is provided wit circular or other appropriately shaped apertures 100 and 102, which are centered in regard to the cup compartments 62 and 64 when the flap is closed. Such apertures are of a size and shape to permit the rim of the open end of a tapered cup to be frictionally withdrawn therethrough. The inner flap 34 is provided with an appropriately shaped aperture 104 of a diameter to permit the spout 92 to be slid therethrough, the spout end lying substantially flush with the outer wall of the flap 34, or against the inside surface of the outer flap 26, and in the approximate center of the tear out oval section 48 of the outer flap 26, when the outer flap is closed.

It will be seen that the tear out sections 38 and 40 of the outer flaps 26 and 28 are in alignment with, and of greater width and breadth than the diameter of the apertures 100 and 102 in the flap 32. Also the oval tear out section 46 of flap 26 is of greater area than the aperture 104 of flap 34.

With the container filled and provided with refrigerant as is indicated in FIGURE 5, and the inner and outer flaps closed and sealed as by the tape 30, the package is ready for shipment to the place for dispensing. To prepare the package for dispensing, the tear out sections 38 and 40, and 46 are removed, the package is tipped or shaken so as to cause the end cup of each stack to project outwardly through their respective apertures 100 and 102, in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. The valved spout is thereafter drawn outwardly in the aperture 104 so as to project outwardly, as shown in FIGURE 2, and the container is then is position for dispensing. As each cup is withdrawn through its circular aperture, the succeeding cup of the stack is frictionally drawn into the accessible position indicated at 110.

As liquid is dispensed from the liner 90, the liner collapses. Heretofore the collapsing of the liner in dispensers of this type gradually reduced the static head of liquid within the liner, such that as the liner approaches emptiness, almost no gravity pressure exists, and flow from the valved nozzle is exceedingly slow. However, with the sealed bags of ice, or ice melted to water disposed on and bearing upon the upper side of the liner 90, a fixed additional increment of pressure is provided by the weight thereof whereby as the liner 90 approaches its empty state, such increment of pressure remains to provide rapid flow at the valved spout. In fact the bagged ice or water tends to flatten the liner 90 except in the region near its atfixation to the n z hi z l must be somewhat elevated above the bottom wall 52. The weigh of he ice, or water melted therefrom causes the liquid to rise to flow out the nozzle and thereby scavenge the liner 90 to a degree substantially greater than heretofore possible. The bagged ice on melting to water reduces in volume, so that the container may spread out over a greater area in squeezing the liner 90 flat against the bottom wall 52. If the panel is in the pack, the removed corner 15 will allow the panel to press the liner fiat, except in the region near the part of the liner attached to the s out.

Thus it can be seen that a self refrigerated container of inexpensive materials is provided that is expendible, and thrown away after each use. In practice, a container of five gallon capacity will be provided with two stacks of 10 cups each, of about 9 ounce capacity whereby on the spot service to 80 people may be provided from a single package.

Any package having a portion left over at the close of the serving period, can be returned to cold storage for keeping until the next serving hour, or opened up and provided with additional blocks of bagged ice. The ice, being in impervious polyethylene wrappers, is prevented upon melting from damaging the corrugated fiber board in any way.

While a single modification of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser container comprising an outer box of corrugated fiber board having inner and outer end flaps, and rectangular side panels, a one piece stitr' corrugated fiber board liner insert for said box lining one panel and adjacent portions of the adjacent panels, said liner insert having inward corner ofisets extending the full length of the insert to provide recesses in the box corners opposite from said one panel extending the full depth of the box, the inner flap overlying said corners having openings aligned with the recesses, and each of the outer flaps having a tear out section of greater area and adapted to overlie one of said recesses.

2. A dispenser container comprising an outer box of corrugated fiber board having inner and outer end flaps, and rectangular side panels, a one piece stifi corrugated fiber board liner insert for said box lining one panel and adjacent portions of the adjacent panels, said liner insert having inward corner offsets extending the full length of the insert to provide recesses in the box corners opposite from said one panel extending the full depth of the box and an inwardly facing recess therebetween extending the full depth of the box, the inner flap overlying said corners having openings aligned with the recesses, and each of the outer fiaps having a tear out section of greater area and adapted to overlie one of said recesses.

3. A dispenser container comprising an outer box of corrugated fiber board having inner and outer end flaps, and rectangular side panels, a one piece stiff corrugated fiber board liner insert of corrugated fiber board for said box lining one panel and adjacent portions of the adjacent panels, said liner insert having inward corner offsets extending the full length of the insert box to provide recesses in the corners opposite from said one panel extending the full depth of the box, and an inwardly facing recess therebetween extending the full depth of the box, the inner flap overlying said corners having openings aligned with the recesses, and each of the outer flaps having a tear out section of greater area and adapted to overlie one of said recesses, one of said inner fiaps having a further aperture adjacent a corner thereof remote from said recesses, and a tear out section in an outer 5 flap overlying said last named further aperture, and of greater area than said further aperture.

4. A dispenser container according to claim 3 having a stack of disposable tapered cups arranged in at least one of said corner recesses, each cup having a circular rim corresponding in diameter substantially to that of the openings.

5. A dispenser container according to claim 3 wherein ice wrapped in an impervious bag is disposed in said inwardly facing recess, and wherein a liner bag filled with a potable liquid is disposed in the container in the space other than said recesses, the said liner bag having a valved spout disposed in the further aperture.

6. A dispenser container according to claim 5, wherein a relatively stiff presu-re pad is disposed between the impervious ice bag and the liner whereby when the container lies on its side with the recesses uppermost, the weight of the ice bag acts through the pressure pad to pressurize the potable liquid to a limited extent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Love 221-96 X Walter 229- 15 McVay et al. 22915 Lupton 229-15 Harvey 221-63 Amberg 221-63 Scholle 222183 Robbins 62-4 Cope et al 222-483 X Lipschutz et al. 222-183 X Johnston 222---183 Walker 222183 X Great Britain.

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner. 

3. A DISPENSER CONTAINER COMPRISING AN OUTER BOX OF CORRUGATED FIBER BOARD HAVING INNER AND OUTER END FLAPS, AND RECTANGULAR SIDE PANELS, A ONE PIECE STIFF CORRUGATED FIBER BOARD LINER INSERT OF CORRUGATED FIBER BOARD FOR SAID BOX LINING ONE PANEL AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE ADJACENT PANELS, SAID LINER INSERT HAVING INWARD CORNER OFFSETS EXTENDING THE FULL LENGTH OF THE INERT BOX TO PROVIDE RECESSES IN THE CORNERS OPPOSITE FROM SAID ONE PANEL EXTENDING THE FULL DEPTH OF THE BOX, AND AN INWARDLY FACING RECESS THEREBETWEEN EXTENDING THE FULL DEPTH OF THE BOX THE INNER FLAP OVELYING SAID CORNERS HAVING OPENINGS ALIGNED WITH THE RECESSES, AND EACH OF THE OUTER FLAPS HAVING A TEAR OUT SECTION OF GREATER AREA AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE ONE OF SAID RECESSES, ONE OF SAID INNER FLAPS 